Libya?

CAIRO — The United States ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, was killed along with three of his staff members in a fiery and furious attack on the American Consulate in Benghazi on Tuesday night by an armed mob angry over a short American-made video mocking Islam’s founding prophet, the White House and Libyan officials said on Wednesday.

In a statement confirming the four fatalities, President Obama said he strongly condemned the killings and had ordered increased security at American diplomatic posts around the world. It was the first death of an American envoy abroad in more than two decades.

>>>>>>What is the repercussions from this action going to be? Is history to repeat itself?

Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, 1914

Two bullets fired on a Sarajevo street on a sunny June morning in 1914 set in motion a series of events that shaped the world we live in today. World War One, World War Two, the Cold War and its conclusion all trace their origins to the gunshots that interrupted that summer day.

This has been condemned by Libyans, especially those in Benghazi. In this article from the New Yorker a Lebanese novelist talks about the reaction:

"Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens was a popular figure in Libya, and nowhere more than in Benghazi. Friends and relatives there tell me that the city is mournful. There have been spontaneous demonstrations denouncing the attack. Popular Libyan Web sites are full of condemnations of those who carried out the assault. And there was a general air of despondency in the city Wednesday night. The streets were not as crowded and bustling as usual. There is a deep and palpable sense that Benghazi, the proud birthplace of the revolution, has failed to protect a highly regarded guest."

I only wish the voices of Libyans saying "these people don't speak for us" could be heard over the din of sabre rattling.

In a way I hope Mitt Romney is just mouthing off because of the election. It's frightening to think that if he were President, he would actually engage in international politics in such a misjudged, ham-fisted, dangerous way. Say what you like about President Obama, nothing he has said or done suggests he is likely to accidentally start WWIII. As for Romney . . . It's really worrying.

Why would this start a war? The Lybian government has apologized, this was perpetrated by extremists.

Lovely remarks by Mr. Wonderful (I mean Romney)

“I'm outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi," Romney said in the statement. "It's disgraceful that the Obama Administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.”

Of course, that statement of his was not true.Supposedly, even FOX News condemned what he said.

Seeing as the entire Middle East area is a powder keg, any spark could erupt the entire region. Not just this action, what is the United States prepared to do in retaliation? What will be the blowback from this? There is definitely a looming confrontation in the region, whether it begins in Libya or Iran, I guess we will see.

News accounts indicate that the ambassador’s body was dragged or paraded through the streets. This photo is all over the internet already. It is said to be of Ambassador Stevens, and it certainly appears to be him. They are not saying if in this photo he was dead at this time or not. We can only pray he was not.

<TOS violating photo removed>

A truly Barbaric act by Barbaric people.The appropriate reaction to what happened last night in Cairo and, especially, Benghazi is fury. The question is, what are we going to do–not say, do–about it?

The picture you posted shows Libyan civilians who, after seeing the attack, rushed into the burning consulate to help the Ambassador, and they carried him to a local hospital. Those same civilians also hid and sheltered some of the additional staff, keeping them safe until the crowd had dispersed.

It was tragic, yes; and I personally feel that a strong military response is both warranted and necessary. However, it's important to remember that this attack was perpetrated by a "small and savage" group, and is not representative of the Libyan people at large.

The problem you have is that (some) Libyans feel that this is exactly how the US treated Ghadafi, I'm not saying there's any comparison between Ghadafi and the US ambassador btw, nor am I saying that the US is entirely responsible for the same treatment which was given to Ghaddafi (more the UK, in my view)

Some Libyans are Miffed to say the least, that G was not tried at the ICC, where he could have given evidence about Bliar and Bush, they believe it was a cover up to protect Bliar and they also believe that Bliar protects the US. Vicious circle.

This is the cost of running an empire and the cold hard fact is that people get hurt. Whether you want to believe it or not there is a different history taught about the US in foreign countries and its' forays into foreign governmental affairs. The backing of mobsters like Saddam and the Shah to more modern creeps like Mubarak and Karzai is a small sample which we like to forget. Look who backed Bin Laden in the beginning. America likes to adjust its' history to fit the situation. There is not many buttons that have to be pushed to anger these countries citizenry to acts such as this. Now we wish to retaliate with drone strikes and marine operations. Who is being stupid now? We just need to get the hell out now period.

AGREE with your sentiment - But America is a great country we never intend to hurt anyone as long as they accept our way and do as we tell them to. Otherwise will sanction them to death and make sure that they become public enemy number 1.

Pictures are no more or less proof than words, and I don't come here to get some weird gratification from looking at corpses. If it is considered vital info the general forum convention is to provide a link to graphic materials.

I do not need to see pics in a forum, I posted none. If an individual would like to see a picture as proof of a declaration from their government, that information should be free!

When a decapitation video was released in Iraq, I refused to view it. To this day, I will not watch such things, as you cannot ever remove the image from your subconscious. So in that way I agree with you, disturbing images should not be forced upon an individual without their consent.

so you would rather close your eyes and pretend it didnt happen? It did and people need to see what barbarians there are in the world. I am sorry you found it offensive, so did I but it is what it is and evil like this needs to stop.

No, I know it happened. Parading a dead body on the Internet is just as bad as on the street. What is one of his children or a family member came upon it? Think of it from that perspective. If it's "all over the Internet" you could have posted a link.

Either the Americans were involved in the killing to give them a free pass to action in Lybia, either the Lybians did it because of the invasion they recently experienced and, it is payback time. If the Americans did it in few weeks military forces will be deployed.

I do have a life. And, yes, history speaks for itself, the US is too much involved in assassinations, coups, tortures, birth of dictatorships, installation of Muslim governments, coverups... what would not surprise us from any dictatorship, it is outraging from a democracy!

The stupid remarks that Romney made have just costed him the election.There is no doubt President Obama will respond to these acts forcefully and reflectively ,and those that committed these cowardly attacks will see justice come their way in the same way bin laden did, and then Romney will stand there looking like the fool that he is.

Here is a quotation from the link you posted and I TOTALLY agree with it

"Once again, the western powers have started a fire they cannot extinguish. A year after David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy jointly travelled to Libya to lay claim to a liberator's bogus laurels, the Libyan revolution they fanned and fuelled is in danger of degenerating into a chaotic, violent free-for-all"

I was thinking, Dempsey's refusal to back up Israel's intention to attack Iran may have triggered Israeli intelligence to strike the American ambassador for the world to think that Muslims are savage, and therefore to have the blessing and the support of the US. The American people like during the September 11 event, outraged, pushed for the punishment. Is it a coincidence?

Nice try. But all Bibi Natanyahu, Israel PM, has to do is say he's angry at the President Obama and the news cycle runs with it. And because he just said that, Obama may be forced to come off the campaign trait to meet Bibi when he's in New York.

Although, clearly, there is some anti Obama sentiment anyway, Bibi has not achieved the desired results, and, at the moment O is ahead in the polls. Bib wants war with Iran and I wouldn't put anything past him. As always in cases like these, nothing is quite as it seems.

Chanting “death to America,” hundreds of protesters angered by an anti-Islam film stormed the U.S. Embassy compound in Yemen's capital and burned the American flag on Thursday, the latest in a series of attacks on American diplomatic missions in the Middle East.

American missions have been attacked in three Arab nations — Yemen, Egypt and Libya — that have faced persistent unrest and are struggling to restore law and order after last year's revolts deposed their authoritarian regimes.

"Once again, the western powers have started a fire they cannot extinguish. A year after David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy jointly travelled to Libya to lay claim to a liberator's bogus laurels, the Libyan revolution they fanned and fuelled is in danger of degenerating into a chaotic, violent free-for-all".

P.S. quote from a link I got from this threat but I can't find it right now.

With the end of diplomatic relationship, any financial assistance would also cease. They would either allow us to protect our own diplomats or we would abandon the Embassies permanently. I would wager, with an ultimatum such as this, our Marines would be welcome with open arms.

Should we allow our diplomats to live in danger? Should we trust the host nations to keep them safe? No, whatever it takes to protect our people should be done, with no regards to the "feelings" of the host nations. Diplomat safety should be the absolute number one priority!

No, we should not refuse their request to increase security in their embassies either. If we do refuse, I would see no problem with the nation not having enough faith in our relationship to maintain it.

To conduct diplomacy. Not to be in danger, and let their host country refuse to allow them to increase security. How difficult would it be for these nations to allow 50-100 more Marines to protect the diplomats. We just lost an Ambassador, I for one would not risk the life of another for anything!

That would include inserting as many Marines as necessary to maintain safety, even if done covertly or forcefully!

Isn't the whole point of embassies that they are safe, neutral zones?If we have to guard our embassies with Marines, then are they really "embassies" anymore?

Practical matter, however. It is not just our embassies that are being targeted.Are we going to send in the Marines to guard every school and KFC restaurant, too?And even if we did, would that not be perceived -- and railed against -- as US military occupation?

If the US pulls out of diplomatic relations and withholds financial support as well,who wins? Who loses?I'm sure we could all think of some great domestic uses for those $ billions, but:1. By retreating, are we not admitting defeat to terrorists?2. What happens to the nascent governments? Do they return to dictatorships (and not to be naive, but how would new dicators be selected, since the big names are ousted or dead?)3. What happens to the citizens who really are peacable and do not support these actions?4. What happens to oil interests (let's be honest about that)5. Does it not give the impression of "admitting" we really do like Israel best?

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